A performance machine with everyday, all-weather capability

by
Brendan McAleer | January 29, 2016

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JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Naaaaants ingonyama bagithi Baba, Sithi uhmmmmmmmm! Yes, friends, it’s the Circle of Life, or at least the Circle of Expected Porsche Model Releases. We’ve seen the new 911 emerge with new turbocharged engines in two-wheel drive, and now here it comes in the six all-wheel drive variants that’ll have you facing down poor weather with a carefree Hakuna Matata.

None of this should come as a surprise. The Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S – available in coupe, convertible, and Targa forms – are the natural next step in the evolution of the 911. From teardrop-shaped effervescence to the current technological tour-de-force, Porsche’s two-plus-two sportscar has become something we can all aspire to: it’s a 959 that anyone can afford.

Well, not anyone. The dang thing still costs $110,100 to start, and you can spend $1,820 on outfitting your air vents in leather. Or $9,730 on ceramic composite brakes: we’re not exactly talking VW GTI territory here. Still, if this is the future that an iconic 1980s all-wheel-drive everyday supercar promised, then it’s at least within the realm of possibility.

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Speaking of icons, when it comes to tweaking the shape of the 911, Porsche’s styling changes aren’t so much evolutionary as they are erosion-ary. Like its two-wheel-drive cousin, the 991-series neunelfer gets a host of minor exterior tweaks that only a PCA member would be able to spot from a distance. If you’re interested, there’s a new light bar connecting the rear lights, quad-point daytime running lights and brake lights, and simplified door handles.

2017 Porsche 911 C4 and C4S

More interesting, and certainly more challenging to Porsche purists, is the new twin-turbocharged flat-six engine that replaces the former naturally aspirated aluminum pancake. Decreased in displacement to a standard 3.0 litres, the regular Carrera makes 370 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 331 lb.-ft. of torque from 1,700 rpm; the S designation bumps those figures to 420 horses and 368 lb.-ft.

More power is almost always welcome, especially when it comes with improved fuel economy figures. This new 911 is approximately 10 per cent more efficient across all models, with the best improvement seen in the heavier Targa version. When equipped with the seven-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission, even that mass of complexity is capable of eking out an 8.0 L/100 km mixed-mileage rating.

The added low-range punch in standard Carrera is the biggest change here. With the old 3.4-litre naturally aspirated base engine, maximum acceleration was achieved only by revving the absolute schnell out of things. This new engine whistles like a tea kettle from the outside, but provides a much more accessible driving experience. The 4S, on the other hand, is like an entry-level Turbo, and quick, quick, quick around the challenging and intermittently damp Kyalami Circuit.

2017 Porsche 911 C4 and C4S

There is, as with nearly every 911 model update since the car was introduced a half-century ago, some loss of character. Maybe not so much the base Carrera, as the performance improvement here results in bettered road manners that will suit most owners. However, with the 4S and the inevitable GTS (which, mark my words, will get 450 turbocharged horses), the extra bump in power comes with a little bit less stir-it-up fury. People will miss the naturally aspirated Carrera S models, just as they miss the rawness of the previous-generation 997-chassis cars, just as they miss the original air-cooled cars. The new 911s are quicker, cleaner and better in every rational way – but who said even German engineers have to be rational all the time?

However, that’s not to say that the Carrera4 and 4S aren’t a great deal of fun. Porsche will still happily sell you one with a manual transmission, if you’d like, and the PDK remains the best auto-manual option on the market: it’s preternaturally quick to swap gears, and doesn’t second guess you.

On the street, you’re better off with the manual option for maximum engagement. After all, you can’t buy a GT3 RS or a Turbo with a clutch pedal anymore, so the only way to take some stick to your 911 is to option out a “regular” car. Speaking of options, Porsche will happily attach a shop-vacuum to your wallet with their options list, but it does offer items that you’d not soon see elsewhere. There’s been some trickle-down of offerings here, and you can now equip your all-wheel-drive Carrera with a lifting nose or rear-wheel steering for even better day-to-day livability.

2017 Porsche 911 C4 and C4S

Also hugely improved is the 911’s new infotainment system. The large, clear icons are easy to use, and the system responds relatively quickly. One of the Targa models tested displayed an inordinate fondness for playing The Lion King soundtrack on repeat, but hey, we are in Africa after all.

Also improved for ease of use is the new steering-wheel-mounted control switch for Sport Chrono equipped cars. Cycling between four driving modes is much easier, and if you need a quick squirt of power to pass, there’s a button to press for 20 seconds of all-systems-go. The whole thing looks like a bit of an afterthought, but it works well.

There’s also been a slight improvement to the grip available from the all-wheel drive system, which is the same as that found on the Turbo. Crossing alternating rivers of drainage at-speed around the circuit, the AWD 911s picked their way over the water like cats. Confidence was supreme.

It’s the kind of car you’d want to cross a continent with, hammering out towards Tofino in a cloud of spray, shrugging off snow storms across the wide spaces of the prairies, headed up to the lakeside cottage with dry leaves swirling around you. Just as the 959 promised, it’s a performance machine with everyday capability. If you’re a Porsche purist with Stuttgart’s crest branded on your soul, well, you might be better off in a Cayman GT4. If, however, your commute takes you through the real world as well as the odd idyllic weekend backroad, then the Carrera 4 and 4S have you covered.